Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-05-09
How and Why the London "Times" Was
Not Investigated.

A BACK-DOWN.
How and Why the London "Times" Was
Not Investigated.
Record URioa's SpeciGl Cableordn- CopWfqhteS
og The Nel0 York Tribune.
LONDON, May Sth.-I have Just been
speaking with Dillon and other leading
members of the Irish party about the burn
ing question of the hour, and am author
lied to give their views and the views of
their party as a whole upon the subject.
AS Dillon announced last night in the
House of Commons the Irish leaders be-
lieye they have clew to the forger of the
Parnell letter in the Times. Of course it
is not matter of certainty yet, but they
have the best reason for believing that
they are on the right track. The refusal
of the Government to grant Parliamentary
Committee of Inquiry is due to the simple
and disgraceful fact that they consulted
the Times and the Times had to confess
that it had no cause, and they knew that
on no account would the Irish member
bring the matter into an English Court of
law. 1t then became a question of investi-
cation or no investigation. That was
square issue decided on Friday night.
The Irish members courted an inquiry, and
their slanderers shirked it.
Why is it then Irish members refuse to
enter Court of law, and are so eager to
lay their case before Parliamentary COM
mittee?
To begin with, they deny that it is they
who are on the defensive in this matter.
1t is the Times and its allies, and Court of
law as the tribunal for bringing these cul-
prits to justice in comparison with a select
committee of the House of Commons, would
have many vital disadvantages. A Court
of law would not give the opportunity to
expose the whole sianderous conspiracy,
whereas a Parliamentary committee
would. The investigation would not
be thorough - it could only bring
into Coart particular printer
or editor, or the law would strictly
limit the inquiry to a question OF their
liability. The Irish leaders would be de-
barred from asking questions as to who
| were behind printer and editor, and thus
| the persons who worked up the conspiracy
the real people to get at-would be shell
tered. There would be no such restriction
| in parliamentary committee. It can ex-
| anime whom it pleases, and ask what
| questions it pleases. The editor of
the Times, who could not be
questioned at all if he were
put in the dock for criminal libel. would
have to give the whole history of the
forged letter and state whom ne got it
from, reveal the connection of members of
the Government with the libel trial, and
many other secrets which would remain
unexposed in Court of law. This is the
crowning recommendation of the Parlia-
mentary committee.
Legal action, moreover, would be left to
decision of the jury, upon which the
Tines with the aid of its Tory friend. the
| Sheriff of Middlesex, could manage to have
a few partisans. As for the course suggest
ed by the Government, a criminal prose
cution for libel, that procedure-as Har-
court points out-has been abandoned
fer many years in England on &C.
|
prosecutions. You will have observed that
the offers of Parnell and Dillon-and in
their behalf that of Gladstone-to allow the
scope of the committee to De enlarged be-
yond the particular case of the forged let
ter takes in the whole range of charges
published by the Times. So the plea that
Parliamentary inquiry would not be full
enough, falls to the ground.
/ make no comment here on the action
of the 81 gentlemen in England who, after
trading for months upon these foul calum-
nies, and taunting the Irish members with
not refuting them, voted against an invest
igation on Friday night. The Irish mem
bers look up. They challenge and demand.
The Irish members have reason to congrat-
uiate themselves upon the whole episode. 1t
has broken the back of the coercion bill and
has done irretrievsble damage TO the Tory
party. All the respectable papers OF their
| own press, such as the Standard, are unan-
imOus in condemning the Government.
The effect throughout England has been to
produce a feeling of humiliation and
shame for the action of the mechan-
ical majority of the House of
Commons, and make warmer
| sentiment growing in favor OF home rule
with fresh strength since the agitation
against the coercion bill, during which the
Irish members attended the English meet
ings. They have now attained degree of
amazing popularity. t. P. GILL. NJ P.